the ghosts of the environment appear before the g.o.p. to try to save its soul. past bp gets whacked with fines and criminal charges, a warning about putting profit before prudent. present. president obama visits the areas of new york hit hardest by hurricane sandy, a reminder of global warming's devastating effects. future, january 20, 2013, inauguration day. a president with a mandate and a second-term agenda with climate change near the very top. so all right you republicans who wants to play the role of scrooge? >> all of those in favor signify by saying aye. >> jennifer: humbug. there is big news on the environmental frown front today. so first bp, the world's third largest oil company announced it was going to pay $4.5 billion in fines and plead guilty to 14 criminal charges connected to, of course, the giant oil spill in the gulf of mexico. that's number one. meanwhile, in new york, the president surveyed the damage from hurricane sandy. of course, which was everybody knows, precipitated by climate change. he met storm victims in staten island, one of the